Erm, should we be worried yet?

Award for “Most Creative Use of a GIF 2015” goes to the Flying Ox. 😆

😆 at that gif

Actually if I may be serious for a minute, just the one.

My perception of life in Russia is that it’s actually pretty bleak/crap/boring.

Has anyone spent much time there to know what it’s really like for your average Joe Bloggs/Comrade Bloggski?

Most Russians I’ve known just drink and have guns, and there doesn’t seem to be much else going on.

The sheer size of the place must lead to some pretty marked diversity in geographical terms at the very least, and cultural as well no doubt.

The GF spends the odd couple of days in Moscow (well, used to)

She says it’s **** awful grim

Sailed with a few Russians and Ukrainians in my time, most just wanted the **** out or to get rid of the corruption. Don’t get me wrong, some are poor with what we would describe as poor taste but imagine living in a council estate the size of a continent that’s getting gentrified from the outside in.

I met people who came from these now occupied/annexed areas, I seriously doubt any of them would have wanted it to go this way no matter what their politics.

I couldn’t work out who that dude reminds me of, then it hit me…

I won’t worry until someone tries to invade us

Then we get to be the insurgents…we can discover just what we are prepared to do for our liberty.

2nd most popular story on Graun website: http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/feb/19/russian-bomber-flew-inland-cornwall-uk-airspace-witness

Btw how do you fly to Cornwall without going into uk airspace? Presumably the long/top way round?
Still, there’s only gchq bude listening station, devonport dockyard and that mysterious american place under newquay airport: i don’t suppse they will be back any time soon.

Another war would be a great boost to GDP from increased government spending, most of which would go to European firms…

Or am I getting rather cynical in middle-age?

2nd most popular story on Graun website: http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/feb/19/russian-bomber-flew-inland-cornwall-uk-airspace-witness

It is reporting stories like these which make me realise why newspapers are struggling to survive. I know its the Guardian, but they really should be ashamed of themselves for reporting such drivel.

Fear and anxiety…tis the British way.

Then we get to be the insurgents…we can discover just what we are prepared to do for our liberty.

The Graun and Indy have completely lost my patronage recently because of all the complete nonsense and pro-war propaganda they’ve been pushing out. The Cold War ended (at least not for NATO and the Yanks) at the end of the 80s and since then any ‘provocation’ by Russia has, from my perspective at least, been a proportional response to the continued provocation by the United States.

The real danger today, the real threat to world stability, is America. The only reason why America hasn’t committed a first strike on Russia is because of Russia’s nuclear deterrent. Remember when Bush Jnr. was pushing for a “missile defense shield” in Eastern Europe? That hairbrained idea was designed to remove Russia’s only safety net.

Instead, they keep pushing their sphere of influence in Europe eastward, and this obviously concerns Russia. America is at war with Russia right now, economically of course, but as we have seen in Ukraine, the hot war is played out through proxies. Unfortunately, the spineless Euro politicians have allowed America too much influence over European matters.

Who removed the democratically elected leader of Iran in 1953?
Who invaded Vietnam and killed millions of civilians?
Who installed the dictator Pinochet in Chile?
Who funded the Contras?
Who sold weapons of mass destruction to Iraq?
Who invaded Iraq numerous times, once under false pretenses?
Who trained and sold weapons to Islamic Fundamentalists in Afghanistan?
Who trained and sold weapons to Islamic Fundamentalists in Syria (who then went on to become ISIS)?
Who spies on the entire world’s population, hacks into whoever’s computer or phone they please, and then claims it is to “save us all” from the evil terrorists who just happen to be some of the best arms customers of the USA?

Plus many many many more…………..

It’s not Russia / Putin who keeps me awake at night. In fact, while I don’t agree with his politics I admire him and his lot for standing up to the world’s bully. I just wish China would man up and get involved too.

I just wish China would man up and get involved too.

Worse threesome idea ever….

Still prefer America. The only reason the Russians arent worse than the yanks is that they dont have the capability.

Iraq? Chechnya made Iraq look quaint.

2nd most popular story on Graun website: http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/feb/19/russian-bomber-flew-inland-cornwall-uk-airspace-witness

Btw how do you fly to Cornwall without going into uk airspace? Presumably the long/top way round?
Still, there’s only gchq bude listening station, devonport dockyard and that mysterious american place under newquay airport: i don’t suppse they will be back any time soon.

Last I checked Plymouth (Devonport) was in Devon. Funnily enough.

You could probably learn more from google maps than pissing about in a Bear. This is nothing more than willy waving to remind us they can still get here (whether that would be unchallenged as soon as they entered NATO or EU airspace is an entirely different matter). As for previous carrier comments, what would we need them for?

Plus many many many more…………..

It’s not Russia / Putin who keeps me awake at night. In fact, while I don’t agree with his politics I admire him and his lot for standing up to the world’s bully. I just wish China would man up and get involved too.
Hmm. So, over the last 100 years, say, out of the big Three superpowers, who do you think has killed the most number of its own citizens (or indeed the citizens of other countries)…. And who has killed the least?

Excellent

It’s evil barstads Top Trumps

I’ll start with 30000 dead women and children in Boer War concentration camps.

I’ll top that with Stalins estimated toll of just under 10million..

Squirrelking, Devonport Dockyard is between 50 and 100 yards from Cornwall depending on which part of the yard you are in. There is a river in the way but i doubt that is a problem for a Bear, which could pootle over there from St Mawgan/Newquay Airport in about 12 minutes if it was already ‘im the area’ or 6 minutes if the driver puts his foot down. 😛

But yes i take your point about google maps. I have a couple of old (60’s by the amount of railways and stations still marked on them) os maps where the dockyard is just a massive blank slab alongside the river with nothing in it. I wonder if besides posturing, there is some strategic value in seeing what happens to communications etc and how long it takes to get escorted off the airspace.

Has anyone spent much time there to know what it’s really like for your average Joe Bloggs/Comrade Bloggski?

I recently spent a year, going there every couple of weeks, a week at a time.

It’s grim, very grim.

There is a strata of society who have a massive amount of money (mainly from oil and gas) but the masses seem to have a very mediocre existence.

It’s almost like going back 30 years in terms of culture and attitudes. Their media seems to be very effective and most people I met genuinely believed the UK was more corrupt and backward than Russia.

Some of the infrastructure is very good, much some is very primitive. eg. I flew into airports of major cities, where the airport was just a few cabins and little in the way of emergency facilities.

As an example of the grimness – I was walking down a Main Street in Moscow, summertime and middle of the afternoon. I saw a middle aged couple, both dressed very smartly, he had a suit a tie on. They were laid on the pavement, her tights were all ripped, knees bleeding etc. I stopped thinking WTF but realised that they were both pissed out of their heads and had merely collapsed after an extended lunchtime drinking session – the crowds were walking past them, just ignoring them

Excellent

It’s evil barstads Top Trumps

I’ll start with 30000 dead women and children in Boer War concentration camps.

Sadly that is pretty small beer.

Also 2015 minus 100 = 1915. Your first bid is ruled illegal.

My mates just come back from Moscow, he described it as a bit like Morley (town of the edge of Leeds) when we lived there in the 80’s.

I’ll top that with Stalins estimated toll of just under 10 million

Mao comfortably in the lead with average estimate of 40 million

WTF

I’m expected to actually read other people’s posts from start to finish

FFS, you’ll be expecting me to read the OP next

What a **** take

*insert appropriate emoticon here*

Rusty 🙁
Going by your link, Stalin’s is nearer 30.
Hhhmm Communisium…

Their media seems to be very effective and most people I met genuinely believed the UK was more corrupt and backward than Russia.

Seriously- I’d agree that at the least Britain is as corrupt as Russia in a lot of ways.

I’d agree that at the least Britain is as corrupt as Russia in a lot of ways.

*cough*bullshit*cough*

We’ll start with an easy one, when was the last time you had to bribe an official as routine?

In the recent Global Corruption Perception Index – Britain came 14th out of 175. Russia was 136th out of 175.

Unless he she was drunk, I don’t think any statistician in the world would apply the word “equally” in that context.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/australasia/global-corruption-index-australia-drops-out-of-top-10-countries-and-uk-not-good-enough-9900971.html

Seriously- I’d agree that at the least Britain is as corrupt as Russia in a lot of ways.

Having lived in Moscow many years ago that unless things have changed greatly, I would disagree strongly with your statement.

Dont **** with the Finns. Especially if there is previous.

http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/2015/04/28/finnish-military-fires-on-suspected-submarine-in-baltic/26515355/

😯 Those crazy Finns. 😆

Tiny depth charges though, just designed to be heard, wouldn’t damage a sub.

Yep. Depth charge lite you could say.

The RN would probably just put out a disgruntled tweet.